The late monarch's horses won more than 1,800 races and her annual presence at Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby reflected a deep personal interest as much as carrying out royal duty. "I'm sure if the queen had not been bred into being a monarch she would have found a vocation with horses. Nicky Henderson, another royal trainer, also told the Racing Post how the queen had watched one of her horses win a race on television. The queen's horses won all the British classics with the exception of the Derby, the most prestigious of all. Queen Elizabeth attended every edition of the Royal Windsor Horse Show since its inception 79 years ago, including in May.

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